Combined feed-trough and rack.



S. J. MQGINNIS. COMBINED FEED THOUGH AND RAGK.

APPLIOATION FILED 00m. 2a, 1906. v

PatentedFeb. 21, 1911.

z SHEETS-SEEET 1'.

S. J. MOGINNIS. COMBINED FEED TROUGH AND BACK.

APPLIOATION FILED DOT. 23, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

MTNESSES/ UNITED sTATEs PATNT OFFICE. I v

SIMON .T'. Mcemms, or KNOXVILLE, IOWA.

COMBINED FEED-THOUGH AND RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. '21, 1911.

Application filed October 23, 1906. Serial No. 340,241.

To all whom it may concern:

p Be it known that I, SIMON J. MOGINNIs, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Marion and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Feed-'lrou ghsand Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to combined feed troughs and racks adapted to contain food for fattening stock in such a manner as to be readily accessible to the stock at all times.

The invention has particular reference to that class of feed troughs, and racks in which a trough is combined with a superimposed hopper or receptacle'in which grain, round feed or the like may be stored and from whence it passes by gravity into the trough; the same being also combined with a rack whereby the animals that are feeding are separated from each other.

The present invention has for its object to simplify and improve the construction and operation of this class of devices.

A further object is to so construct and arrange the parts as to enable the device to be readily dismembered for the purpose of cleaningthe same. v

A further object of the invention is-to construct the improved device with a water ing trou h at one end thereof.

With t ese and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangementand combination of parts which will be hereinafter. fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. r

In the accompanying drawings there has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention; it being, however, undertive view of a combined trough and rack constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention, the lid at the near side being thrown open. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. L is a Vertical, transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detached view of one of the turn-buttons 16.

Corresponding parts of the-several figures are denoted by llke characters of references.

1 designates a trough of suitable dimensions having flaring outwardly divergent sides 2, 2, and vertical end pieces 3, 3. The end pieces 3, 3, are secured upon the inner sides of the end walls/g4, which latter constitute the ends of a hopper or receptacle, the side members of which 5, 5, are supported slidably and adjustably bymeans of guide cleats 6, 6, that are secured in pairs upon the inner sides of the end walls 4', 4:. The trough 1 is provided with a transverse partition 7 which is connected with one of the end walls 4 by an inclined bottom memtrough 1- into two separate compartments,

mission of water is automatically regulated.-

v The inlet compartment C is provided with a sliding-cover 13, whereby the inlet valve is protected; and said sub-compartment communicates with the compartment B through an aperture 14 in the partition 10, whereby the water in the compartment B ismaintained at the-proper level. It will'be seen by this simple construction the water in the compartment B is at all times accessible to the stock, while the valve in the inlet compartment C is protected from meddling by the stock. 1

The feed compartment A of the trough 1, isprovided with a central longitudinal rib or'ridge '15, coinciding with the lower edges of the slidable side members 5, 5, ofthe hopper. The contents of the hopper, which gravitates into the trough beneath the lower order to afi'or edges of the s ide members 5, will be guided over the rib 15 into the'direction of the outsides of the trough where it will be readily reached by the feeding stock. In this manher the escape of the contents of the hopper is greatly facilitated, and it will be in no danger of becoming choked as would be the case ifthe rib 15 were dispensed with and the side members 5 were extended toward the bottom of the trough.

The side members 5, 5, of the hopper'are fitted to slide-freelyin the separate cleats,- so that they may be readily adjusted for the purpose of-gagmg the distance between the lower edges of the said members and the rib 15, according to the nature of the feed that is placed in, the-hopper; said side members may be secured at various adjustments by means of cams 'or eccentrics which are in the nature of turn-buttons 16 pivoted upon the end walls 4, and adapted to-bear ext-eri orly uponthe side members-5, said turn buttons being provided with notches 17 to clear the cleats 6.

. The improved device is provided at the sides thereof with suitably constructed racks R, composed of longitudinal top and bottom bars- 18, 19, connected and framed together by vertical cross pieces 20. The terminal ends of the bottom bars 19 are fitted in notches 21, in the upper edges of blocks 22, which are secured upon the end walls 4: adjacent to the ends of the trough; the terminal ends'of the top bars 18 are fitted in notches 23 in the upper corners of the end walls 4, where they are held detachably by means of hooks24, engaging headed studs 25 at the ends of said top bars 18. By this construction the racks, whichserve to sepaanimals and to prevent ring with each other, may detached, when desired, in access'to the trough for the rate the feeding them from inter e be very readil purpose of cleaning the same; the side members of the hopper may likewise be readily removed, when desired.

The end walls 4, 4, of the device are connected witheach other by means of a ridge member or pole 26 with which are hingedly connected lids 27 that are adapted to close against the upper edge of the end walls 4 and the side members 5 of the hopper, for which a weather-tight closurei's thus provided. t

The operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed.

The construction of theimpro'ved trough andrack is'simple and inexpensive; it may be made in a great variety of sizes; it being equally adapted to the needs of hogs, sheep and cattle, as well as poultry. It may be utilized for the purpose of feeding grain as well as ground feed, which will gravitate from the hopper or container into the trough as fast as it is removed from the latter b the feeding animals; and it may also be a I vantageously used for the purpose of ma.

ing. slop which, bypouring it into the hopper, will pass into the trough without being thrown over the heads of the feeding animals as is oftentimes the case where slop is fed in an open trough.

j The side members 5, of the hopper or receptacle are readily adjustable so that fine or coarse material may be fed, the same being permitted to-pass from the hopper into the (tirough more or less freely as may be des1re A very important advanta e of the resentdevice resides in the facility with w ich it may be dismembered for the purpose of cleaning the same; every corner of the trough being accessible and there being no lurking places for microbes and fermenting material. I

Having thus described the invention, I

claim:

1. A feed trough comprising a bottom, inclined sides connected to the bottom, end walls connected to the bottom and sides thereby forming a receptacle, a partition dividing the receptacle into two com artments, a rigid inclined wayleading rom one end wall to the partition thus forming a partial covering for one of the compartments, and a covered hopper, adapted to empty its contents into the uncovered compartment, mounted above the receptacle, said hopper consisting of adjustable sides operating between cleats formed on the end walls, and means for holdingthe sides in their adjustable position. i i

2. A feed trou h comprising a receptacle having a longitu inal centraLrib, end walls secured to the receptacle a partition dividing the receptacle into two compartments which are accessible from either side, a rigid inclined way leading from one of the end walls to the partition thereby covering'a part of one of-the compartments, means for supplying water to the artially covered I opper mounted above the receptacle and adapted to empty its contents into the uncovered compartment.

3. A feed trough, end walls secured upon the trough, having recesses at the upper ends thereof, inclined side members supported .adjustably upon'the end walls, and combining with the latter to form an adjustable hopper or receptacle, notched blocks secured upon the end walls adjacent to the walls of the troilgh, racks having longitudinal bottom bars engaging the notches in the blocks, said bars belng of such a construction as to form a locking means against outward movement at the bottom of said rackwheri in a vertical position, and longitudinal top bars engaging recesses at the upper corners of the end wzills, headed studs in the end of said top bars, hooks pivoted upon the end Walls, and lids hinged upon the rigid pole.

' In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SIMON J. MQGINNIS. Witnesses W. C. JACOB,

FRANK BURT. 

